Silent Suffering
by Tengu Queen
Summary: Inu Yasha, Sango, and Miroku, full of angst. But what about Shippo? And Kagome? Everyone thinks that these two are full of happiness. But that happiness may only be skin deep.....
1. Silent Screams

Silent Suffering

A/N: just so you know, this is mainly an excuse to write angst. And it's my first fic without a strong original character!!!!!!! HORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I could do it. -Tries to pat herself on the back, but fails miserably-

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha.

Chapter One: Silent Screams.

Kagome stared into the depths of the hot spring she relaxed in. About a half an hour ago the group had made camp, and Shippo had discovered this Hot Spring. Sango said that she didn't want to bath, and that she would make sure Miroku stayed at camp. Kagome pitied the poor monk if he even tried to sneak off…Sango would be on him in a heartbeat, beating him into the ground with Hirakatsu.

Well, too bad. That lecher deserved it. He was always trying to sneak a peak at them when they were bathing…at least Inu Yasha never did that. Well, actually, that's not true…that one time when she was first getting to know him he did watch her while she was bathing in the stream. She had sat him for that. Right on the edge of a cliff to, perfect set up. He did a face plant straight into the sand.

Kagome sighed, and leaned back into the boulder behind her, and stared up at the stars. She remembered, a long time ago, that her father always took her and Meiyo to see the stars. Today would be the anniversary…they've been dead six years now…

"Daddy, sis," Kagome sighed, closing her eyes.

----------Flashback----------

A tall man with short black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin carried a six-year-old Kagome on his shoulders, walking through the woods. A tall fourteen-year-old with long knee-length raven hair, chocolate brown eyes, and deathly pale skin, dressed in blue jeans, a loose white t-shirt, and blue and white sneakers walked next to the two.

"Where are we going daddy?" Kagome asked.

"We're going to see the stars Kagome," he said, smiling.

"Doesn't mommy want to see them?" Kagome asked.

"Mommy's too busy taking care of your little brother Souta, Kagome," her father explained. "She's back home with grandpa. So it's just the three of us, you, me, and your big sister Meiyo."

The three then came into a very large meadow. Mr. Higurashi stopped, and took Kagome off his shoulders, and set her down on the grass, before lying down next to her. Meiyo laid down on her little sister's other side, and looked up at the stars.

"Look at the stars Kagome," Kagome's father said. Kagome tilted her head upwards, and looked at the stars. Meiyo laughed from her position next to the girl.

"You'll hurt your neck like that," she said in her soft voice. "Lay down like daddy and I are."

Kagome laid down between the two older Higurashi's, and looked up at the star-filled sky.

"It's beautiful!" Kagome exclaimed. Her eyes followed the swirls that the stars made in the sky. "It's like they're dancing!"

"You know, I always think the same thing," Meiyo said from her lying position. "Like they're shining dancers that never stop dancing."

"I always thought that they were fire flies when I was your age," the girl's father said. "Caught up in the black sticky stuff that is the sky."

Meiyo and Kagome laughed.

"Really?" Meiyo asked.

"Yes, really," he said.

"You're crazy!" Kagome cried.

Meiyo and Kagome had by now erupted into a fit of giggles. Mr. Higurashi jumped up to his feet.

"You wanna see crazy?!" he cried, and then let out a monster like roar.

"EEEEEEEP!" Kagome and Meiyo cried at the same time.

"RUN!!!!!" Meiyo cried, laughing.

The two girls ran around the clearing, their father running behind, trying to catch them.

"GOT YOU!" he cried, and caught Meiyo's arm.

"EEK! KAGOME! HELP ME!!!!" Meiyo cried, laughing. He then started to tickle Meiyo mercilessly. "NO! HAHAHA!! STOP!"

"I'll save you Mei!" Kagome cried, and launched herself onto her fathers back, latching her arms around his neck.

"Oh no! I am captured!" her father cried, and latched his arms around her legs, and running around the clearing.

"Eek!" Kagome cried, holding on tight to her father. Meiyo was laughing uncontrollably at the two.

Kagome and her father stopped in front of the laughing girl, and Kagome was let down onto the ground, but Meiyo just kept laughing.

"Can't, -gasp- stop –gasp- laughing!" she cried, rolling around with laughter.

"Daddy, has Mei gone insane?" Kagome asked.

"I truly don't know," her father replied.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Meiyo asked, jumping up, face red with anger.

Kagome and her father looked at each other and said simultaneously, "Uh oh."

Kagome's father then whisked his youngest daughter onto his back and took off back to the car, with Meiyo running after them, roaring in fury.

"She's a lot scarier then you daddy," Kagome said in her father's ear as he ran through the forest.

"That's because she inherited your mother's temper," her father replied, and kept running.

----------End Flashback----------

Kagome opened her eyes again, and looked at her wrinkled hands.

"Now look, I've gotten all wrinkly," Kagome sighed, and then got out of the spring. She dried off with a towel, and then got into her clothes, before walking back to camp with her biodegradable shampoo, soap, and fluffy white towel.

"We were wondering when you were going to come back Kagome," Sango said as Kagome entered the small clearing. "I was just about to come and get you."

Sango then noticed something about her friend's face that was different.

"Have you been crying Kagome?" she asked.

Kagome's hands flew up to her face, and she found wet trails on them.

"Uh, I got some dust in my eye is all," Kagome said, rubbing her eyes.

Sango watched her friend doubtfully for a moment, and then went back to tending the fire. Looking around, Kagome saw that everyone had taken their regular positions. Inu Yasha up in a tree, Miroku with his back against a different tree, Kilala curled up by Sango's side, and Shippo…wasn't in his normal place beside Kilala. Instead he was sitting at the edge of the clearing, looking out into the woods with a glazed expression. Kagome was about to ask what he was thinking about, but she stopped herself. He probably wanted to be alone, since he was so far away from the fire.

Kagome took a seat in front of the fire, across from Sango, and sighed, closing her eyes.

----------Flashback----------

"Kagome, don't cry," a now eighteen year old Meiyo said to a ten year old Kagome, who was sitting in the back seat of their car. "Those people don't know who you are. The reason they make fun of you is because you are better then them."

"They were cruel Kagome," Kagome's father said. "But don't let that get you down. How about we get you some ice cream ok?"

Kagome slowly nodded, wiping at her cheeks, which had three tear trails on them.

"That's my girl," he said, and then turned back to the road.

They were driving along the road, when Meiyo said, "I think you sang wonderfully. You have a beautiful voice Kagome, never forget that."

"I do?" Kagome asked.

"Of course you do," her father said. "You inherited that from your moth-"

"DAD WATCH OUT!" Meiyo screamed, but it was too late. That truck hit them full on, making them hit other cars, and practically crushing the car. Kagome blacked out, but soon woke up.

Her leg hurt really badly, and something was in her arm. She looked down and saw there was a large piece of glass embedded in it. Looking down at her leg, she saw that it was trapped under the now horribly bent door.

"Daddy? Mei?" she asked, but received no answer. "DADDY! MEI! SAY SOMETHING!" No answer.

With strength even she didn't know she had, she wrenched her leg out from under the bent metal, and crawled up in between the drivers seats, where she was met with a horrifying site.

Her sister had a scared look on her face, and her neck hung at an awkward angle. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, and blood was leaking from it, and many cuts covered her face. She looked at her younger sibling with blank eyes.

In shock, the young girl turned her head, and her eyes widened at her fathers form. The steering wheel had impaled him through his chest, and his mouth was opened in a silent scream as well.

The shock kept the young girl silent for a while, before she finally realized what had happened. Opening her mouth, she let out an ear-shattering scream.

----------End Flashback----------

Kagome quickly opened her eyes, and tried to hold back her tears. Those images haunted her dreams. She still remembered the policemen wrenching the door off the car, and pulling her out of it. She had still been screaming. She screamed for two whole moments, before she had fainted from pain, and exhaustion. In her dreams though, that scream still resounded.

Suddenly a wave of sleepiness overtook the young girl, and she started to unroll her sleeping bag.

"I'm going to sleep," she said, unzipping it. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight Kagome," Sango said, and Kagome mumbled back an inaudible reply.

As she started to drift off to sleep, she was somewhat aware of Shippo curling up against her body, just underneath her chin. Kagome moved her arms around the small kitsune, hugging him to her, and then fell asleep.

A/N: Well, please review and tell me what you think of my first shot at pure angst. I already got the one on Shippo started. This fic will be three chapters long, just so you know.


	2. Silent Tears

Chapter Two: Silent Tears 

Shippo watched as Kagome walked off alone to the spring. She had been so happy with him when he found that spring. He was happy to make his foster mother happy. Yeah, he thought of the young woman of his new mother. She acted like it, and she cared for him.

He looked over each of the group. Kagome takes the place of my mother, Kilala is like an older sister, Sango and Miroku are great friends, and Inu Yasha is…what is Inu Yasha? A littermate? A…father?

Shippo stared at the half demon, trying to sort out how he saw the young man. Inu Yasha caught him staring, and glared at the small kitsune.

"What are you staring at?" he asked, jumping up and landing right in front of the kitsune.

Shippo didn't even hear the question, since he was concentrating on how he felt about Inu Yasha, and since he didn't hear it, he just turned around and started walking towards the fire to take his normal place next to Kilala. Inu Yasha stopped him though, and bopped him on the head.

"Answer me when I'm asking you a question!" he yelled at the fox cub. Shippo held his head in pain, and was about to yell at him about child abuse, when he just decided it wasn't worth it. Instead of taking his place next to Kilala, he walked over to the edge of the clearing, and started looking out at the dark forest surrounding them.

Inu Yasha was surprised at the kitsune's lack of whiny yelling. Was something wrong with him? The half demon was about to ask him, 'Oy runt, what's the matter with you', but noticed that Shippo's pose and sent clearly said that he wanted to be alone. So, he left him alone.

Shippo sat down, and kept trying to figure out what Inu Yasha was to him. Yes, he acted like a father in the fact that he protected him, and somehow the kit knew that Inu Yasha cared about him, but in other ways, he was not at all like a father. He hit him, he called him annoying names, and never even tried to teach him anything about how to fight or hunt or anything like that.

Inu Yasha was nothing like his real father. His real father had been kind, gentle, and had shown his love openly, saying that love was a strength, not a weakness.

Father had been such a strong kitsune. He had had orange hair like Shippo, but had sparkling green eyes that Shippo didn't inherit. He was always wearing loose pants, and an open shirt that was never closed. Female humans and demons alike had fallen in love with him, because he was so handsome and mysterious. But only mother was able to actually become the kitsunes mate. Shippo's mother had been a gorgeous kitsune, beautiful in ever aspect, body, heart, mind, and soul. She had had auburn hair, sparkling turquoise eyes that he had inherited, and always wore a beautiful pink kimono hat had white apple blossoms on it, and had a lighter pink sash.

His father said he fell in love with Shippo's mother the moment he saw her. And she was the only woman he met that didn't throw herself at his feet. That's one of the things he liked about her his father had always said.

Shippo still remembered her scent. It was like cherry blossoms and soft spring rain.

His father's scent had been much different. The handsome kitsune had smelled of earth, thunder, and the powerful scent that all the old trees around them gave off. Old trees like the ones that surrounded the camp now.

He tried to think of one time that his father had ever hit him, and suddenly a memory leapt into his head.

----------Flashback----------

Shippo, now only about four years old, slowly crawled to his father, which he could barely see in the dark cave. The much older kitsune had his knees pulled up to his chest, and had his head resting on them while his arms rested on his knee caps. By his side was a body, Shippo recognized it as his mother's. She looked so pale.

"Father?" the kitsune cub called softly. He got no reply from his father's still form. The kit crawled a little further. "Father? Why's mother sleeping? It's the middle of the day."

The kitsune made no reply.

"Father?"

"You're mother is dead," his father said in a cold, hard voice. Shippo pulled back, not used to hearing his father like this. Normally when his father talked to him, he had a warm, loving voice.

"She died," he said in that same icy voice. "She was running from some wolf demons, and she didn't look where she was going. She fell off a cliff, and broke her neck."

Shippo took this very hard. Tears sprang to his eyes, and started to fall down his cheeks.

"Mother's…dead?" Shippo asked with a quivering voice. Then the denial came. "Mom can't be dead. She's just playing a game."

Shippo ran up to his mother, and started to shake mom's shoulder.

"Mom, wake up, wake up!" Shippo cried, starting to increase the strength of his shakes.

His father's hand then suddenly came out of nowhere, and slapped Shippo across the face, sending him flying across the cave.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" he yelled. Shippo cowered in his place at the bottom of the wall at the other side of the room.

His father's eyes glowed with raging green fire, and his face was gray and scary. Their eyes locked for a few moments, and his father's eyes softened.

"Shippo," he said, and shuffled closer. Shippo shied away from him, ducking his head, getting ready for another slap. Instead, he felt his father's strong arms envelop him in a warm hug, and he feels warm tears fall onto his head. Shippo then starts to cry too, and cuddled up to his father as much as possible.

----------End Flashback----------

Shippo held back tears. He had loved his mother. He still remembered when she used to sing to him…it hadn't been that long. About two years…then, a year ago, father had died too…

----------Flashback----------

Shippo wandered through the woods, looking for his father.

"Father! Father!" he called, looking around. Where was his father?

The sounds of a battle then hit the young kitsune's ears. He rushed towards the sounds, and found his father locked in combat with two demons.

Shippo's eyes widened. The Thunder Brothers. Oh no.

His father launched at Manten, digging his claws into the big lugs shoulder.

"AH!" Manten cried, and grabbed Shippo's father by the scruff, throwing him into a tree.

"FATHER!" Shippo cried, and rushed over to his fallen father.

"Shippo," his father gasped out, blood pouring from his mouth. "Get away from here."

"No," Shippo said, with tears in his eyes. "Father, I don't want you to die. Please don't die."

His father looked at him with sad green eyes.

"Forgive me," he said sorrowfully. "I'll always be with you. Now go!"

His father grabbed the back of his clothes, and threw him out of the way, just as a large yellow beam hit him.

Shippo got up, and looked to where his father had been. Lying there was a dead fox.

Tears filled Shippo's eyes, as he ran as far away as he could.

_I swear I'll get revenge for you father, _the small kitsune thought with a burning hatred towards the Thunder Brothers. They would pay for killing his beloved father.

----------End Flashback----------

Tears threatened to spill, but he didn't let them fall. He wouldn't cry. He had to be strong. Strong people don't cry.

_That's not true, and you know it, _a voice said in the back of his head. _Sango cries for her lost family. Kagome cries for Inu Yasha. And they are still great warriors._

I can't cry, cause if I cry…he'll really be dead… 

Shippo turned back to look at the camp. Kagome as back, and was snuggling into her sleeping bag. Shippo yawned, and found he was tired too. Walking over to the young woman, he snuggled under her chin. Her arms circled his small body, and pulled him closer.

This reminded the small kitsune of what his mother used to do when he couldn't sleep. Within moments, the young kitsune was asleep.

A/N: Sad, I know. I'm in an angsty mood. So sue me.

Mr. P Coat- I know, this story was written basically for angst. It has a pretty happy and fluffy moment at the end though! Promise!


	3. The Silent Speak

Chapter Three: The Silent Speak.

            "Have either of you two noticed Kagome and Shippo have been acting odd lately?" Sango asked.

            Inu Yasha and Miroku nodded.

            "Kagome was crying when she got back, and Shippo's been very quiet since we got here," Miroku said.

            "Yeah, the little runt was starting to creep me out," Inu Yasha said.

            Movement from Kagome's sleeping bag caused them all to look in that direction.  Kagome was curling up into a small ball, and Shippo was moving in his sleep, almost as if he were running.

            The three other companions looked at the two worriedly.

            "Do you think they're sick?" Sango asked.  Inu Yasha sniffed.

            "No," he said, shaking his head. "They'd smell like they were sick."

            "Daddy," Kagome muttered in her sleep, hugging Shippo closer to her body.

            "Daddy?" Sango echoed.  "Isn't that a word for father in her world?"

            "Her father?" Inu Yasha asked.  "Now that I think about it, the only people I've seen around her house are her mother, grandfather, and her little brother. I've never seen her father."

            "Hmmm," Miroku said, deep in thought.  "Maybe we should ask them in the morning.  But for now, let's let them sleep."

            The two others nodded, and settled in to sleep for the rest of the night.

            ----------The next morning----------

            Kagome got up first, waking up from another nightmare.

            "Daddy, Meiyo," she sighed, and then rubbed her temple.  Then she got up, and started up the fire again.  Better make breakfast…

            Twenty minutes later they were all up and eating ramen for breakfast. 

            Kagome and Shippo were eerily silent.  They just stared at their food, but didn't eat anything.

            "Aren't you hungry Kagome?" Sango asked.

            "No Sango," Kagome said, shaking her head.

            "What about you Shippo?" Miroku asked, looking at the young kitsune.

            Shippo shook his head, and then continued staring at the container.

            "Ok, what's up with you two?!" Inu Yasha shouted.  "You would find more cheer in a graveyard!"

            "It's nothing," Kagome replied, looking away.

            Shippo just kept staring at the container, as if oblivious to everything around him.

            Inu Yasha was sick of the kitsune's blank look, so he jumped over the fire and landed next to the kitsune, and then he picked him up by the tail.

            "Stop looking so sad!" he ordered. 

            The kitsune turned his sapphire eyes to the angry half demon in front of him, and their eyes locked together.

            "Let me down, please," Shippo said softly.  Inu Yasha dropped the kitsune in surprise.  Shippo merely stayed there, face first in the dirt.

            Those sapphire eyes…. they were filled with pain.  Deep pain.

            "Shippo," he said in a soft voice, and then he picked the fox cub up, put him on his feet, and kneeled in front of him.  "What's wrong?"

            "Father, and mother," Shippo breathed, closing his eyes.  "Father smelled just like this forest."

            Inu Yasha sat down, and Shippo did too.

            "Mother died running from some wolf demons," Shippo said, "and then a year later I saw father die because of the Thunder Brothers.  The trees remind me so much of him…"

            Tears started to fall down Shippo's face, even though he tried desperately to stop them.  He couldn't though.  He then felt slender arms wrap around him, and hug him to a soft chest.

            Kagome was hugging the young kit to herself, eyes closed.

            "Six years ago," she started, petting the kitsune's head, "my father and big sister Meiyo died.  Remember what I told you all about cars?"

            They all nodded, except for Shippo who was crying into Kagome's school blouse.

            "Well, we were driving in a car, when a larger car smashed into us.  That sent us smashing into other cars, and within a few minutes, the entire car was crushed.  I broke my leg from that crash, and my arm had a large piece of glass in it.  Meiyo and dad however, died. Meiyo from a broken neck, and father was impaled through the chest with the steering wheel."

            Everyone stared at the two in shock.

            Shippo and Kagome were by far the happiest people in the group.  They always acted like there was nothing wrong.  Sango and Miroku had guessed that Kagome's happiness was part mask, because of Kikyo and Inu Yasha, but they had never guessed their friend had had such a past.  And Shippo, that was completely surprising.  He had always seemed so happy. 

            They should have known. He lost his father for Pete's sake.  You don't just get over that.  It takes a long time for the pain to go away.

            Kagome felt strong arms surround her frame, and tears fell from her eyes, as she leaned into the chest that the arms were attached to.

            Inu Yasha hugged Kagome and Shippo to his chest, offering as much comfort as he could.  Sango and Miroku stood up, and then walked to either side.  Sango hugged Kagome as well, and Miroku just rubbed her back, no pervertedness whatsoever.

            Yeah, they would be alright.  The next morning they would all act as if nothing had happened.  But inside, Kagome and Shippo would know that they no longer had to be silently screaming, no longer had to be silently crying, and no longer had to be Silently Suffering.

A/N: Yeah, I know, short chapter. Still, I hope you like it.


End file.
